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Astronomy

About Astronomy

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What is a Astronomy?

Astronomy is a branch of science that helps us to study all extraterrestrial objects and phenomena. In simpler terms, astronomy is the study about the sun, moon, stars, planets, comets, gas, galaxies, gas, dust, and other non-Earthly bodies and phenomena.
Astronomy, derived from the Greek word meaning "star" and "law" or "culture", has come to be known as "law of the stars" (or "culture of the stars" depending on the translation). Astronomy should not be confused with astrology, the belief system, which claims that human affairs are correlated with the positions of celestial objects.  Although the two fields share a common origin, they are now entirely different.
 
Until the invention of the telescope and seminal discoveries in physics related to motion and gravity,  astronomy was primarily concerned with noting and predicting the positions of the sun, moon, and planets, originally for calendrical and astrological purposes and later for navigational uses and scientific interest.
 
In recent times, the study has branched out to several categories, which are distinguished in order of increasing distance, the solar system, the stars that make up the Milky Way galaxy, and other, more distant galaxies. With the advent of scientific space probes, Earth also has come to be studied as one of the planets, though its more detailed investigation remains the domain of the Earth sciences.
 

Astronomer

An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on the study of a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. An astronomer will observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either observational (by analysing the data) or theoretical astronomy.

Latest Updates on Astronomy

NASA's Chandra observatory helps dig out black holes previously buried

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has helped discover hundreds of black holes previously buried, which will help astronomers get a more accurate census of black holes in the universe

Updated On: 12 Jan 2023 | 1:04 PM IST

NASA mission spots 2nd Earth-size world within 'habitable zone' of its star

NASA mission has discovered a second Earth-sized, rocky planet within the habitable zone of its star -- the range of distances where liquid water could occur on a planet's surface

Updated On: 11 Jan 2023 | 11:33 AM IST

Four eclipse events this year, two would be visible in India: Astro expert

A partial lunar eclipse would occur on the intervening night of October 28 and 29 and it will be visible in India

Updated On: 04 Jan 2023 | 10:42 PM IST

Closest known black hole to Earth spotted, just 1,600 light-years away

Scientists reported Friday that this black hole is 10 times more massive than our sun. And it's three times closer than the previous record-holder.

Updated On: 05 Nov 2022 | 7:05 AM IST

Astronomers discover heaviest element in an exoplanet atmosphere barium

Astronomers have discovered the heaviest element ever found in an exoplanet atmosphere barium

Updated On: 16 Oct 2022 | 7:58 AM IST

Nasa to use SpaceX's Dragon to boost Hubble telescope to higher orbit

The deal signed by NASA and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. called for collaborating on a feasibility study of such a mission, though NASA has yet to commit to such a flight.

Updated On: 30 Sep 2022 | 8:48 AM IST

Astronomers map distances in the largest-ever catalog to 56,000 galaxies

Astronomers have assembled the largest-ever compilation of high-precision galaxy distances, called Cosmicflows-4.

Updated On: 29 Sep 2022 | 8:17 AM IST

Astronomers detect hot gas bubbles swirling around supermassive black hole

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub millimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have spotted signs of a 'hotspot' that helps us better understand the enigmatic environment of our supermassive black hole

Updated On: 23 Sep 2022 | 9:10 AM IST

Don't miss Jupiter's closest date with Earth in 70 years on September 26

Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year

Updated On: 17 Sep 2022 | 2:04 PM IST

Astronomers find new Saturn-like planet hiding in disc through novel method

All astronomers concur that planets are created in the bands of gas and dust but it has been challenging to observe genuine planetary birth and development in these settings

Updated On: 15 Sep 2022 | 10:52 AM IST

All you need to know about India's first dark sky reserve in Ladakh

Government plans to promote astronomy tourism at the reserve, which is located in Hanle in Ladakh

Updated On: 09 Sep 2022 | 2:56 PM IST

Length of Earth's day is mysteriously increasing, scientists don't know why

Atomic clocks, combined with precise astronomical measurements, have revealed that the length of a day is suddenly getting longer, and scientists don't know why

Updated On: 08 Aug 2022 | 12:38 PM IST

After Russian withdrawal, what next for International Space Station?

The International Space Station was a symbol of post-Cold War peace and cooperation, and the Russian announcement of withdrawal after 2024 signifies the reversal of that cooperation

Updated On: 27 Jul 2022 | 3:11 PM IST

Chinese astronauts enter lab module after docks with space station

It was the first time the Chinese astronauts had entered the lab module in orbit

Updated On: 25 Jul 2022 | 10:18 PM IST

How James Webb Space Telescope lets us see first galaxies in the universe

It has been an exciting week with the release of breathtaking photos of our Universe by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Images such as the one below give us a chance to see distant galaxies

Updated On: 18 Jul 2022 | 5:35 PM IST

James Webb telescope captures images of universe: How astronomy will change

Unveiled by US president Joe Biden, the stunning image of SMACS 0723, a cluster of thousands of galaxies, was released on July 11

Updated On: 17 Jul 2022 | 12:50 PM IST

International astronomers in Australia capture black hole eruption

Astronomers from Curtin University, as part of an international team, have produced the most comprehensive images of the nearest active black hole to earth.

Updated On: 23 Dec 2021 | 9:29 AM IST

Indian astronomers discover new exoplanet, rare stars hotter than Sun

Indian astronomers have added another feather to their cap as they have recently made two new discoveries -- an exoplanet 1.4x the size of Jupiter and a rare class of radio stars hotter than the Sun.

Updated On: 26 Nov 2021 | 12:27 PM IST

Star system with right-angled planets surprises astronomers

Two planets orbit the poles while another revolves around the star's equator, suggesting a mysterious force

Updated On: 07 Nov 2021 | 11:13 PM IST

Planet X or a mirage?

This theoretical planet could be taking between 10,000 and 20,000 Earth years for one full revolution around the Sun

Updated On: 26 Feb 2021 | 11:22 PM IST